Honduras

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Quick Facts

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Capital

Tegucigalpa

Population

6,670,000

Government

Democratic Constitutional Republic

Religions

Christianity (Catholic)

Languages

Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Calling Code

+504

Nationality

Honduran

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Introduction

Underwater Beauty

© All Rights Reserved Cyprian

With its prime location between the Caribbean and Pacific, Honduras' natural and historical treasures remain its greatest attractions for visitors. The Bay Islands, off the Caribbean coast, offer all that you would expect from a Caribbean island destination: superb diving, snorkelling and fishing around gorgeous coral reefs. But what gives Honduras an edge over its neighbours is the extensive rainforest jungle (the largest in Central America) that marks its inland territory. Additionally, the nation boasts the impressive Mayan ruins at Copan, which are widely considered to be some of the best-preserved ruins around.

Unfortunately, Honduras' lack of wealth has given it a slow start in setting up as a tourist destination. But for those visitors willing to put up with some roughness around the edges, Honduras promises a fantastic holiday.

Brief History

Geography

Regions

• Caribbean Honduras:
• Inland Honduras:
• Pacific Honduras: Islas de la Bahía

Cities

• Tegucigalpa
• La Ceiba
• La Mosquitia
• Puerto Cortés
• Tela
• Roatán

Sights and Activities

Copan

Copan - mingi kivijurakas

© All Rights Reserved jakokruuse

The ancient Mayan site of Copan was discovered in 1570 by Diego García de Palacio and nowadays functions as one of the most important sites of the Mayan civilization. However, they were not excavated until the 19th century. The ruined citadel and imposing public squares reveal the three main stages of development before the city was abandoned in the early 10th century. As a result of its historical significance it is placed on the Unesco World Heritage List.

Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve

Another important Unesco sight is located in the northwest of the country, which mainly contains uninhabited areas. The Río Plátano Biosphere reserve is one of the few remains of a tropical rainforest in Central America and has a high biodiversity with abundant and varied plant and wildlife. Besides its natural significance, there are over 2000 indigenous people who live here and have preserved their traditional way of life in piece with the surrouding pristine nature.

Roatan

Reef shark from below

© All Rights Reserved monkyhands

Roatan is part of the magnificent Honduras Bay Islands, which are located north of the mainland in the Caribbean Sea. The island and many others have some most beautiful white and palmfringed beaches which are good for relaxing after an exhausting trip into the interior of the country. To add, the snorkelling and diving is among the best spots in the Caribbean, because of its proximity near the largest barrier reef in the Caribbean Sea (and the second worldwide after The Great Barrier Reef). The island is visited by both upmarket cruiseship passengers as low budget backpackers.

Other sights and activities

• Lake Yojoa
• Colonial towns - Gracias, Comayagua, Omoa (with its Spanish colonial fortress)

Events and Festivals

Weather

Most places in Honduras have tropical conditions with high temperatures and humidity yearround. Still, there are quite some differences. While the lower areas are hot and humid, some cities inland including the capital Tegucigalpa have more enjoyable weather, with highs between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius and nights around 15 degrees, about 5 degrees lower than coastal areas for example.
In general, the wet season lasts from May to November, but some places, like La Ceiba at the northcoast have wetter weather from October to February! March and April thus are good months to visit most areas of Honduras.

Getting there

Plane

Toncontín International Airport (TGU) near the capital Tegucigalpa has several airlines with international connections including TACA to and from Miami, San Salvador and Guatemala City. Atlantic Airlines de Honduras has flights to Belize and Nicaragua and other destinations include Panama City and Houston. Golosón International Airport (LCE) near La Ceiba offers a few international connections as well, like those to and from Toronto, Cancun and Grand Cayman.

By Train

For the time being, there are no rail options between Honduras and neighbouring countries.

By Car

Honduras is connected to El Salvador and Nicaragua via the Pan-American Highway and and to Guatemala on the Western Highway, but most foreigners don't travel by car. If you do, be sure to arrange everything before arriving on the border, stay alert and avoid travelling when it's dark, as borders might be closed or dangerous areas

By Bus

The main crossings to Guatemala are Agua Caliente, El Corinto and El Florido. Crossings to and from El Salvador are at El Amatillo and El Poy and to Nicaragua at El Espino, Guasaule and Las Manos. There are frequent buses to these border posts, but just a few buses travel directly between Tegucigalpa and neighbouring countries/capitals.
So most of the time you just cross the border on foot and take an onward bus on the other side. Try Ticabus for direct international services.

By Boat

There are several connections from towns in the south of Belize like Dangriga and Punta Gorda to Puerto Cortes in Honduras. There's also a boat from Lívingston in Guatemala to Omoa in Honduras.
You might find boats to Nicaragua on the Caribbean coast and to both Nicaragua and El Salvador on the Pacific side, but services are infrequent and not timetabled. Try San Lorenzo for the latter option.

Getting around

Plane

Islena Airlines, Atlantic Airlines de Honduras and TACA all have domestic flights, including those to Roatan.

By Train

There are almost no regular passenger trains but there are possibilities to hop on freighter trains which sometimes have passenger facilities, including a trip from San Pedro Sula on a banana train, and to Cuero y Salado National Park on a coconut train. But these are no certain options, especially if your time is limited.

By Car

You can rent cars at several airports in the country and in Tegucigalpa. Roads between the capital and the coastal areas of the Pacific and Caribbean are generally in relatively good shape and can be travelled by regular car, even in the wet season. In the rest of the country, roads are generally of poor quality, if there are roads at all like in the northeast. Driving is on the right side of the road and travelling at night is not recommended because of safety and road conditions, unlit cars etc.

By Bus

Buses are the way to go in Honduras, with regular, reliable and cheap connections between the capital, most larger cities and towns as well as some more off the beaten track places, albeit with infrequent intervals. Try to arrange your tickets earlier the same day or the day before, as some routes can be fully booked as it is popular with locals and foreigners altogether.

By Boat

Several ferries operate between ports on both the Pacific and Caribbean coastlines. The most popular sailings are from La Ceiba and Puerto Cortés to the Bay Islands several times a week, including those to Roatan.

Red Tape

Citizens of the United States, Canada, most European countries, Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand can get a 90-day tourist cards when entering the country. A yellow piece of paper will be stapled into your passport – don’t lose it, as you’ll have to turn it in when you leave, or get it stamped if you extend your stay. You can extend your stay once for another 90 days.

Note that since 2006 a 90-day stay actually means a stay within the Centro America 4 (CA4) region, including Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. You can extend the stay with another 90 days, after which you have to leave the region, for example to Belize, Mexico or Costa Rica.

Money

See also Money Matters

Work

Study

Language

Related article: Spanish: Grammar, pronunciation and useful phrases

Spanish is the official language of Honduras.

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

See also Travel Health

Safety

See also Travel Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post